EAA Witness "Wonder Finish"

[Uncle Alvah]

Was looking at an EAA Witness .45, one with, I guess, their "wonder finish". The gun is kind of a gray steel color, not really like stainless, kinda hard to describe.
At any rate, on this pistol it's more like "I wonder why they call it a finish?" situation.
There is speckling near the beavertail and some serious spots on the left side of the gun.






Does anybody know if this finish can be polished out with Flitz or is a re-finish the only option, meaning Parkerizing, not a re-do of the "wonder finish?

 

[Peter M. Eick]

The wonder finish is some sort of surface heat treatment. I believe that it is very similar to the glock tennifer finish.

I think you would find that you could probably polish it out, but I doubt you can duplicate the original finish easily.

Good luck.

 

[The91Bravo]

How old is the gun and has it been maintained regularly? I had an EAA Witness in .40 and never had one problem, and I sweat like a rented mule.

 

[JoelSteinbach]

I own 2 witness' wonder finish 10mm, never ,ever, had any problems, misfire or jam with either weapon, Really great value, Their new match models are awesome.

 

[rbernie]

The 'Wonder Finish' is simply electroless nickel plating. Repair of it would be the same as for any other plating finish (meaning a strip and replate).

 

[natman]

If the gun has been exposed to conditions that caused Wonder finish to corrode, it would be a pile of rust if it were blued. Just goes to show anything can corrode if sufficiently abused.

 

[Runningman]

Thats what happens to electroless nickel plating when you use bore cleaning solvents with Liquid Ammonia in it and don't wipe it off with gun oil in a timely matter. Liquid Ammonia reacts with nickle plating. Found this out the hard way myself.

 

[Old Shooter]

I had heard and read about the problems using certain solvents on plated pistols so I just use 3 in 1 oil on a cleaning patch/cloth and lots of elbow grease. This combo seems to clean them up nicely and mayby takes a minute or two more time than using some other bore cleaners/solvents.

I clean mine fairly regularly and haven't had to deal with bore fouling or cylinder buildups....so far.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I have several Witnesses in Wonder Finish. That gun has been seriously exposed to the elements and not properly cared for. None of mine have ever had the least bit of pitting or rusting, and I live on the coast. I've only seen one Wonder Finish Witness with that problem, and it was left under the seat of a boat for over a year, while it was tied up at a dock on salt water. The owner of that pistol had it stripped and Robar finished.

It will probably have to be stripped and refinished, or just live with it and make sure it doesn't get worse.

Hope this helps.

Fred